Rotary engine



(No Model.) v v '7 *a'sheets-sheet 1. I

' J.1M. STOGKERJ ROTARY ENGINE.

- No. 459,381. Patented Sept. 8, 1891.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

' J. M. STOCK ER.

ROTARY ENGINE.

N0; 459,381. Patented Spt."8, 1891.

(No Model.) heats-sheet a.

J. .M. STOGKER.

ROTARY ENGINE.

No. 459,381. Patented Sept. 8, 1891.

PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES M. STOOKER, OF ATLANTA, GEORGIA, ASSIGNOR' OF ONE-THIRD TO ZIBA O.STOCKER, OF SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS.

ROTARY ENGIN E SP ECIFIGATION'fOrming part of Letters Patent No.459,381, dated September 8,1891.

Application filed April 24, 1891.

To all whom zitmay concern:

Be it'kn'own that 1, JAMES M. SrooKER, a citizen of the 'United States,and a resident of Atlanta, in the county of Fulton and State of Georgia,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rotary Engines; andI do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same,referencebeing-hadto theaccompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon,whichform a part of this specification.

This invention, as stated above, relates to rotary engines, the objectbeing to so improve the art in that class of engines as to obtain ina-reliable manner the advantage of the expansion of the steam afteradmission, and to so construct same as to obtain a minimum of leakage,and to provide an engine which will be capable of long-continued usewith a minimum of wear and working friction; The

d etails of construction whereby these ends are accomplished will now bedescribed, as shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is atransverse Vertical section centrally of the cylinder and valve-chamber,showing same at about quarter-stroke. Fig. 2 is a horizontal'sectionthrough the center of the piston, further showing the elements shown inFig. 1, and in addition showing the eccentric and pitman and theconstruction of the piston and the shaft-packing glands. Fig. 3 is aside elevation of the device from the lower side of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is aview of one of the packing-blocks, being the plan of the upper end ofFig. 5, which shows the section centrally through the block, and alsoshows means whereby said block is elastically held, and further showingthe end piston-packing. Fig. 6 is a radial section of the piston-head,showing the eccentric end packing-ring and one of the springs, a secondspring being also shown by a cross-section of an intervening portion ofthe head. Fig. 7 is anend view of said piston-head, illustrating theeccentricity of said packing-ring. Fig. 8 is a detail of thepillow-block and wearing-blocks therein and means for lining up theshaft. Fig. 9 is a vertical section centrally of the pillow-block shownin Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is a view in perspective of one of thepacking-leaves, show- Serial No. 390,317. (No model.)

ing the edge packing thereof which bears against the ends of thecylinder.

In the figures like reference-marks are employed in the designation ofcorrespondin g elements throughout the drawings.

The cylinder A, secured to a suitable base '13, is provided withinduction and eduction ports a and a, respectively, the port (1 openingthroughsaid cylinder into the valve-cylinder O, the opening in bothcylinders A and 0 being essentially circular in cross-section. Steam isadmitted into the valve-chamber through a port 0. Heads D are secured tothe cylinder A by means of set-screws, as shown, and the cylv inder O isprovided with heads E, also bolted thereto, any of which said heads D orE may tures for the shaft F, which are packed to prevent any danger ofthe exit of steam by a gland f in each opening.

G is the piston, which is now to be described. The heads or disks 9 aresecured to the 1nner ends of the shaft F and correspond on their backsides to the shape of the recess in the head D at the points marked d,d, and d andcontact therewith'in revolving. The inner sides of saiddisks are each provided with an annular projection g for purposehereinafter described. The surface of the said disk which contacts withthe surface 01 is provided with an annular groove eccentric to the axisof said disk a distance equal to the width of said surface, in which isset a ring which said ring is pressed outwardly against the surface (1by means of springs g set between the bottom of said recess and the backof said ring 9 As the disk revolves, it is hence obvious that thiseccentric ring will pass across any given point on the surface d, andhence said surface will be constantly lubricated, which would not be thecase were said ring not eccentric. This ring also forms a packing-stripto prevent the passage of steam. The central section 9 of the piston Gis circular in form and has recesses therein extending thefull lengththere of, in which are set spring-pressedleaves H, which have motion ina line approximately parallel to the radius, springs h between thebottom of the recesses and said packing-leaves keeping said leavespressed outwardly in contact with the wall of the cylinder. Thepreferable form of construction for the part g" is that shown in Fig. 1,inwhich there are two segmental portions flat on their adjacent sides,and the cylinder is completed by a central piece g, offset on its sides,as shown in section of said figure,- to receive the packing-leaves I-I.These three pieces are held together in cylindrical form in thefollowing manner: In each end of the said central section g of thepiston is turned or otherwise made an annular groove, into which is setthe annular projection g on each of the disks g, after which the wholepiston will be trued up by turning. In this construction itis plain thatthe two outer parts of the piston may he planed fiat on their innersides, as may also the contacting portion of the central section, andalso the offset portions may be planed and a good fitof thepacking-leaves insured, which is very desirable. In constructing thepiston may, after planing, be clamped together, the annular grooves beturned in its ends, the heads be bolted on with their annularprojections inserted in said annular groove, and the whole be thenturned, making a truly cylindrical and well-balanced piston withsuperior wearing qualities in the packing-leaf seats. The repairing ofthe piston is also greatly facilitated. As shown in Fig. 10, each one ofthe packing-leaves II is provided with edge packingstrip h, which ispressed against the inner side of the heads of the cylinder byunderlying flat or coiled springs. In order to prevent the steam frompassing between the surfaces d and d of the cylindei head and the disks9 contiguous thereto at points near the edges of the packing-leaves l-l,blocks I, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, forming segments in said disks, areinserted therein, one near each edge of each of the leaves H. In thejoint between the block I and the disk g, being the joint parallel tothe face of said disk, is a radial circular recess, half of which is inthe disk and half of which is in the block I. The end of said holefarther from the center of the disk is conical or conoidal in form, anda pin Z, conical on its end and of a length of about half the length ofsaid hole, is inserted therein, and is pressed outwardly from the centerof the disk therein by a spring 2'. seated in said hole. It is obviouson account of the conical form of the pin and a portion of the recessthat the outward pressure of said pin will cause a movement of the blockI in a direction parallel to the stationary side of the conical end ofthe hole, which will obviously keep the block I pressed against thesides d and d of the head, and so prevent the passage of steam past thedisks at that point.

The shaft F is journaled at each end outside of the casing uponpillow-blocks J, as best shown inFigs. 8 and 9, said shaft resting uponthe bearingj of bearing metal, adjustable vertically by screws j, andthe upper box 3' having therein blocks j concaved on one side to fit theshaft and being movable in the recesses in the boxj by means of screwsIt is obvious by the use of which construction the shaft F may be at alltimes made to run centrally of the cylinder.

The block K, carrying the spring-pressed abutment 7c in a transversegroove therein, is set in the bottom of the cylinder A, and has anincline extending from the exhaust-port to said abutment and beingeccentric to the piston in a degree that will cause it to force thepacking-leaf H steadily into its recess in the piston from the time itpasses the eX- hanst-port until it reaches said abutment. The said blockis inclined from the abutment to the induction-port in about the angleshown, which angle has the advantage of allowing a very quickout-thrust-of the leaf H and without coming concussively against anyresisting surface, which obviously brings the said leaf quickly intoposition, wherein the entire Superficial areaat any time projected isbrought quickly into action.

Steam, as before stated, passes from the live-steam pipe 0 into thecylinder 0, and the induction-port a delivers it to theexpansionchamber. Passing longitudinally through the cylinder 0 andhaving suitable bearings at each end thereof is a shaft L, the portionof which within the cylinder is made rectangular in form, and over thisrectangular portion is fitted the bifurcated backward extension of theslide M, a spring m being interposed between the said shaft and saidhead, as shown in 1. The peripheral surface of said slide M is turned toconform to the inner side of the cylinder 0, and by the oscillation ofthe shaft L the said slide will be reciprocated past the induction-porta and admit and cut off steam into and from cylinder A. The shaft Lcarries on its end a downwardlyprojecting lever Z, connected by a pitmanZ with an eccentric on the shaft of the piston,

and obviously the lap and lead or other desired adjustment of the slideM may be made in many ways. Extending from near one edge of theperipheral surface of the slide M, through the body of said slide tonear the other edge of said peripheral surface, is a port m, and theinterior wall of the cylinder 0 is provided with grooves 0, throughwhich steam is admitted into said port m as soon as said port comesopposite the induction-port a, and hence steam is admitted much fasterthan would otherwise be the case, which is of great advantage in thisclass of engines, as the stroke is so rapid.

In the device it is obvious that the most economical use of steam may besecured, inasmuch as the steam is cut off before the end adjusted in anydesired degree.

I am aware that a patent granted to Thomas on August 7, 1888, under No.387,606, shows an eccentric-piston carrying a ring therein,

V will keep all oil cleared from the surface traversed by the said ring,a Waste being thus caused and but imperfect lubrication being obtained.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. In a device of the class specified, a piston composed of three partsjointed longitudinally, grooves cut in each end of the composite soformed, and heads, each provided with an annular projection from itsface registering with said grooves, and bolts securing said heads tosaid composite part, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. In a device of the class specified, a cylinder, heads thereof havinginternal flat surfaces, a cylindrical piston j ournaled concentricallywithin said cylinder and having correlative fiat surfaces in closeproximity to the said cylinder-heads, spring-pressed rings seteccentrically in each end of said piston and adapted to bear on andtraverse the cylinderhead surface covered by the ends thereof, andsuitable packing-leaves carried by said piston, substantially as and forthe purpose specified.

3. In a device of the class specified, the cylinder piston-head having arecess therein, and the piston fitting said recess and havingpacking-leaves, and a block carried by said piston near eachpacking-leaf and spring-- Witnesses:

A. P. Wool), S. M. wool).

